Wildfire fund aims to help private forestland in SE Ga

A new fundraising effort could speed up restoring land in southeast Georgia devastated by last year’s wildfires.

The Wildfire Relief Fund will raise money from private sources and distribute it to family farms and forest areas ravaged by the blazes of last spring and summer. The Fund has the backing of many state and local government leaders.

More than a half-million acres burned across 21 counties, most in southeast Georgia. Within that, over 31-thousand acres of private forestland were charred, with only a small percentage of federal money helping those affected.

Several partners are already onboard for the effort, including the Georgia Forestry Commission and Department of Natural Resources. Monte Simpson, spokesman for the Fund, says the goal is to raise 7-million dollars to nurse the land back to health:

"The sooner we get the money, the sooner we can put it to work...identifying these landowners and working with them to help re-establish their lands".

Relief fund officials hope to begin processing applications, and start paying-out assistance, in time for the fall planting season.

Oversized trucks get more time to clear burnt timber

Today Governor Sonny Perdue extended a permit that allows oversized trucks to remove burnt timber from southwest Georgia. The trucks are helping 21 counties clear areas burned by wildfires this spring. They are working on smaller state roads that normally have weight limits. They have until September 30th to continue working on those roads. The fires started in April and became the largest wildfires in Georgia’s recorded history consuming half a million acres.

FEMA releases more wildfire funds

Another $4-million dollars are coming to Georgia from the federal government to re-pay costs of fighting a massive wildfire this spring. This is the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s second installment toward the Sweat Farm Road Fire. The fire broke out April 16th in Ware County near Waycross and burned 80,000 acres over two months. FEMA reimburses 75% of approved firefighting costs, including equipment, materials, labor, food and lodging.

Fed gives Georgia $6M for wildfires

The federal government is giving Georgia $6-million dollars toward what the state spent fighting wildfires this spring. This is the first payment toward paying 75% of Georgia’s eligible firefighting costs.

Governor Sonny Perdue asked for the money in April, when the Sweat Farm Road wildfire was still burning uncontrolled in Ware County near Waycross. Over two-and-a-half months, that fire destroyed 21 structures and 600,000 acres in southeast Georgia and Florida.

The spring 2007 wildfires were the largest in Georgia's history. Officials estimate they cost Georgia $40 million dollars.

Big trucks allowed in fire-ravaged counties

Governor Sonny Perdue is opening up smaller southeast Georgia roadways to oversized trucks cleaning up after this spring’s wildfires. Today the Governor said allowing the trucks in necessary so they can remove burnt timber from 21 southeast Georgia counties. The worst wildfires in Georgia’s recorded history tore through those counties starting in April. It took firefighters until June to put them out. More than half-a-million acres burned.

Wildfire could burn into winter

A major fire burning in southeast Georgia could burn into winter. The Sweat Farm Road Fire is the Southeast’s biggest wildfire in over a century. The Georgia Forestry Commission says despite heavy rainfall earlier this month, the blaze will keep going until at least December. The fire sparked in mid-April from downed power lines. It spread quickly, burning over 80,000 acres in Ware and Charlton counties. Losses have reached over $29 million dollars.

Federal money to help replant Georgia after wildfires

Georgia is getting millions in federal funds to help restore land ravaged by wildfires. Georgia and Florida – both hit by wildfires this spring -- will share $4.4 million dollars. Landowners can apply for grants to help restore wetlands and clean up and replant land. Wildfires burned 472,000 acres in South Georgia in April and May. The fires also burned the Okefenokee Swamp and on other federal and state forestland.

South Georgia fires better contained

Officials in south Georgia are scaling down the number of firefighters on the ground, as the wildfires are within 90-percent containment.

From a high of 15-hundred firefighters during the worst stretch of battling the massive blazes, the number is down to just over 800. Many of them are needed only on an emergency level basis. Larry Morris is a spokesman with the Georgia Forestry Commission:

"We are in a demobilization phase...there's no sense in keeping a lot of people here because it does get very expensive...just the equipment costs themselves add up over time...we're turning loose a lot of people who have basically served their time"

The fires pose no threat to residents of Waycross, Folkston and surrounding areas, but caution is stressed given the continued dry conditions. If the weather pattern continues, Morris says the fires could burn another two months. They've already charred 470-thousand acres.

Lightning strikes over the weekend sparked three small fires in the region, but those were quickly subdued.

Governor meets federal emergency officials

State and federal officials are gearing up for hurricanes along the coast, even as emergency crews battle wildfires.

Governor Sonny Perdue says Georgia will do what it takes to keep residents safe from fires and hurricanes, should they strike at the same time.

"We will find the resources within our state budget, or even an emergency appropriation needed to do that. Will we be stretched thin? Yes".

Perdue says only a lot of rain can end the wildfires and statewide drought. He met with federal emergency management officials to discuss hurrican preparations. They said they would make sure shelters are in place, emergency supplies reach their destinations, and debris is removed quickly. But, officials said people have to take care of themselves first.

New wildfire in south Georgia

Officials in southeast Georgia reported a new fire that sparked in the Little Okefenokee Swamp Sunday afternoon. It's just north of Folkston, and four miles east of the U.S.-1 and S.R.-121 intersection. This is all part of the bigger picture, in which wildfires in total have burned over half a million acres in southern Georgia and northern Florida. About a dozen homes south of Waycross remained evacuated Sunday.

As dry conditions prevail across the state, officials are urging Georgians to use extreme caution with campfires and cookouts today as they celebrate the holiday. Giving up outdoor cookouts altogether is an option officials would like residents to consider.

Wildfires force more evacuations

Late Thursday afternoon, residents in an area southwest of Waycross were under mandatory evacuation orders when strong winds pushed flames across fire-lines.
The order was issued for those living on Swamp Road from Suwannee Chapel Road to Jim Cox Road, and another portion of Suwanee Chapel Road from Suwannee Chapel Church to Swamp Road.

The massive complex of fires together has burned over 380-thousand acres.

More state money for wildfires

Governor Sonny Perdue is sending another seven-million dollars to southeast Georgia to help the battle against the wildfires. The money is coming from unspent state funds and will help several agencies, including the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. State law allows the Governor to transfer unused funds from the treasury, and redirect it to emergency efforts.

Over 151-thousand acres of land have been charred from one fire burning in Ware and Charlton counties. Another larger blaze is based along the state line into Florida. That fire has burned a combined 277-thousand acres, with over half of that on the Georgia side. Forecasters say stronger winds the next two days might make efforts more difficult for firefighters.

Officials say that late Wednesday night, a big portion of the boardwalk and two bridges at the Okefenokee Swamp Park were burned by the fires. Extra firefighters are guarding the Park to protect undamaged structures and wildlife.

Better day fighting wildfires in SE Georgia

Progress was made Wednesday against the massive wildfire along the Georgia-Florida state line. Little or no wind yesterday allowed firefighters to bolster containment lines against the blaze. However, officials expect the forecast to worsen the next few days. Stronger winds are expected to return with higher temperatures.

390 square miles of land have burned on or near the state line from the largest fire. For the fires combined burning in Georgia and Florida, the blazes have charred more than 600 square miles of forest and swampland.

Georgia wildfires update

Despite windy conditions in the wildfire-affected areas of southeast Georgia and northern Florida, officials reported progress out of Tuesday. Firefighters were able to set a "burn out" of some brush along a road in the Okefenokee Refuge. In addition, containment lines held against wind-aided flames. The largest fire that has crossed the state line has burned a combined 248-thousand acres. The other blaze in Ware and Charlton counties stands at 136-thousand acres burned.

There is good news to report from north Georgia, as the two fires there are under control: the blaze along the Gilmer-Murray county line is 80-percent contained. It has burned private and U-S Forest Service land, about one-thousand acres. The Pickens County fire is 100-percent contained-it has charred about 100 acres.

Wildfires update

The massive wildfire that is affecting southeast Georgia into Florida has burned over 240-thousand acres, and continues to cause havoc for firefighters, travelers, and residents.

The blaze was sparked just over a week ago from a lightning strike in the Okefenokee Swamp. Officials today report 30-percent containment on the fire. In Florida alone, it has burned over 102-thousand acres. Windy conditions in the forecast are expected to test new and existing fire-lines that have been constructed.

Road travel continues to be greatly affected. Several highways in Georgia and Florida were closed. Travel on Interstates 75 and 10 is allowed when visibility permits. Roads closed in Georgia: US 441 from Homerville to the state line; SR 177 between Stephen C Foster State Park and Fargo; SR 94 closed to through traffic--from Moniac west to the state line; SR 94 entirely closed from the Florida line through Fargo to Statenville; SR 185 is open for local traffic only.

Firefighters in Georgia are battling another massive blaze nearby, which has charred more than 130-thousand acres since mid-April. And just from this past weekend, north Georgia had a new blaze flare-up from what may have been a lightning strike—over 900 acres burned in the Chattahooche National Forest in Gilmer County. The fire is about 10 miles north of Ellijay.

Fires burn in north and south Georgia

Firefighters are dealing with blazes in both south and north Georgia today. Over this past weekend, it's believed a lightning strike sparked a fire burning along the Gilmer and Murray county line near Fort Mountain. It is between 350 to 500 acres burned, and reported to be about 60-percent contained. Pickens County has a fire that has burned 100 acres.

Continuing in southeast Georgia and now into Florida are the massive fires. The blaze that was sparked by lightning just over a week ago in the Okefenokee, has now charred over 233-thousand acres. The spread of the fire into Florida resulted in on-and-off closures of Interstate 75 from Georgia across the state line. Interstate 10 in Florida has also been closed at certain points. Hundreds of Florida residents forced from their homes are hoping to return. The longer-running fire burning in southeast Georgia continues. It has charred over 100-thousand acres.

2nd wildfire in SE Georgia hits 100-K acres

Firefighters in southeast Georgia report a second wildfire near Folkston has charred more than 100-thousand acres. This is the blaze that was sparked last Saturday by a lightning strike inside the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge.

This has been a fast-moving blaze, fueled by quick burning swamp grasses. It reached the 100-thousand acre mark in only five days time. Officials are worried about the fire reaching the town of Fargo, only eight miles west of the swamp.

Another blaze that was already recorded as the largest in the state’s history began in mid-April, and is approaching 120-thousand acres burned.

Georgia fires spill into Florida

A wildfire in southeast Georgia has jumped the state line into Florida, threatening homes there.

A blaze that has already burned 40-thousand acres crossed into Florida by Tuesday afternoon. The larger fire that has burned over 107-thousand acres is raging on the border. The combined threat forced the evacuation of about 300 homes in north Florida. Officials in that state say they may need help if the fires get any larger.

On the Georgia-side of the state line, a small community near the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge was in the path of a blaze last night. Authorities told residents of about 20 homes in Davis-Georgia to get out. Schools in Charlton County will be closed today.

The Okefenokee’s Wildlife Refuge was closed to visitors yesterday. Officials were also prepared to move out staff as the blaze was creeping toward a fire command post.

The largest blaze in Georgia history has been raging for over 3 weeks.